


A History

by LeathernLaces



Series: Polaroids [4]
Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Abuse, Beth Greene Lives, Child Abuse, Drama, Explicit Language, Fighting, Gen, Homophobic Language, Hurt No Comfort, Other, POV Beth Greene, Punishment, Savior!Beth, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-09 06:40:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15261615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeathernLaces/pseuds/LeathernLaces
Summary: A conversation between Beth and  Mac after one of her 'training' exercises. Mac provides a little bit of unwanted backstory to fill the time while patching Beth up.





	A History

**Author's Note:**

> So you've met Mac in WDWG. Now it's time that you get a little crash course in his backstory. Also provided with a glimpse of what life was like for Beth in her early days with the Saviors. 
> 
> A quick trigger warning. There is use of a homophobic slur in this chapter, and mentions of a very homophobic asshole of a father. 
> 
> This is not beta'd. Any mistakes are my own!

 

 

All she can feel is pain. Pain coursing through her, washing over her and swallowing her whole. It’s all that she ever feels now, ever since she had been shipped off to another outpost. It’s pain or it’s oblivion – absolutely nothing.

 

“Do you want something to bite down on? “

 

How many times has someone asked her that? She doesn’t have the points for pain medication, even if she did there’s no way to ensure they would even be delivered. She had chosen this after all. The pain and the violence. Her one escape from the darkness of the closet until her time is up. Beth gives her head the slightest of shakes and her body sends a shot of white-hot agony through her skull in protest.

 

 

“Did I ever tell you about my worst beating?” He’s looking for a reaction, looking for anything. He’s one of the few people who try to engage her when he’s patching her up after a fight. “We’re going to be here for a bit.” He cautions as he pulls the old wooden stool out from underneath the desk and sets it down in front of her. He’s offering her an out, if she wants it at least.

 

She doesn’t care anymore. She’s too tired, too hurt to care.

 

“Whenever my dad was home he’d lay into me or my mom. Usually it was me. When my mom wasn’t working she had the sense to stay as far away from the park as she could. Work kept him away while – he was a long haul trucker so there’d be weeks where he’d be gone. It was always pretty bad whenever he got back. He was in between jobs, I was just about to graduate. “

 

 

Beth flinches as he brings her hand up, closer to his face for further inspection. “Everything started way before that. There was this kid, Jamie, he lived on the better side of the tracks. We were in the same class in the fourth grade, stayed close after that His parents were always really good to me. I don’t know if it was pity or what, but they didn’t mind some trailer trash kid like me hanging around. Jamie was gay. I think he always knew he was. It didn’t bother me; he was nice and we both liked cars and wanted to join the army.”

 

 

Mac carefully brings a cold cloth to her knuckles, pressing it against the ruined skin. “So it’s the night of the prom. Everything’s going fine, I’m having a great time, I’m loaded. Well my date decides that the night isn’t done yet and she pulls me into the bathroom at a party and proceeds to work off my pants I start panicking – I knew she was into me and I mean sure, I flirted a little but I wasn’t actually into her like that. I try to tell her that but how the fuck do you tell a girl that you aren’t attracted to her? She’s trying and I’m not getting hard and she gets offended, storms off.” They all talk. Whether she wants them to or not they always do. “So I’m confused and a little pissed. She was a pretty girl and I couldn’t get it up? What the hell was wrong with me? I storm off and Jamie sees. The idiot follows me back to my place. I have a fucking breakdown.” Mac lets out a sigh and pulls the cloth away which drags a hiss out of her throat.

 

 

“I don’t really remember what I said, or what he said. The next thing I really remember is kissing him. I don’t know who made the first move but we’re making out. It feels amazing, and to this day I don’t think it’s because of the booze. It was the best damn kiss I’ve ever had. Anyway - y’know how they say all good things must come to an end? My dad comes home. If I’d been with a girl maybe for once in his life he might have been proud of me. Instead, he loses his shit. He’s screaming, calling me a faggot and how he always knew I was fucked up. I remember him going for Jamie and I grabbed his shirt – because I’m a dumbass. Next thing I know I’m waking up in a hospital bed.”

 

 

The clothes is placed back in the bowl and wrung out. He lifts her other hand for inspection. “My jaw was wired shut, my head was shaved and I was sporing a nice set of staples. Broken nose, fractured cheekbone, I don’t think there was a patch of skin that wasn’t black and blue. Jamie’s parents were there when I woke up. It was a few days later. Doctor said they never left.”

 

 

She’s not an expert, far and away from it. Unless he’s embellishing the story it sounds a lot like he’d nearly been beaten to death. By his own father. For kissing someone. What the fuck type of person would do something like that? 

 

 

There is a split second where she recoils, which hurts like hell and she has to bite down on her tongue to keep from crying. He’d had someone there when he woke up. Must have been nice. All she had were handcuffs and florescent lights.

 

 

Mac shoots her a weary gaze and reaches for her hands again. “I need to check your ribs. I’ve gotta take your shirt off.” Quite frankly, she’s not sure why he’s telling her. Like she’s got a say in the matter but whatever. She lifts her arms as much as she can, which isn’t very far. He does the rest. Working off the grimy, blood and sweat stained fabric up over her torso and head.

 

 

 

“What happened to him?”

 

 

He stops, blinks at her in a stunned silence.

 

 

“To Jamie. What happened?” Beth grits out. Vaguely annoyed that he’s making her say more than she should have to – who else would she be asking about?

 

 

“Oh – uh. He was there too. He said I basically held the asshole back so he got away and got to a phone before my dad could lay a finger on him. Barely left my side at the hospital. They were always doing shit for me. They were going to pay the medical bills too. As thanks or something I guess, they saw it as me protecting their son.” He bows his head. The look on his face becomes unreadable now. How many stories has she heard now? How many times had she seen that look.

 

 

Maybe the beating wasn’t the worst part.

 

 

He’s taking in the sight of her. She’s sure that she’s a sight. There’s barely time to heal properly between her exercises. This last one had been worse than most, the guy had it out for her. He must sense that she’s going to ask. If only out of morbid curiosity ( _Hey_ – he had wanted her engaged for some reason. )

 

 

“I was a fucking asshole. I was confused. I grew up in a place where different was bad. Maybe he wouldn’t have beat me so bad if it hadn’t been Jamie, maybe he would have some other time for some other stupid reason. I didn’t have anyone to talk me through it. I knew that gay was bad. Shameful, all that bullshit. That's what I was supposed to believe. I knew Jamie was, it never bothered me. He seemed nice so how could it be bad, right? Thing was I wasn’t even sure I was gay. It didn’t really matter that he had a dick. He was just always nice to me, y’know?” No, he should know she doesn’t understand any of what he’s saying. “I started pushing him away because I was pissed. My dad tossed my shit, mom was gone after that. I didn't have anyone or anything. His parents offered to let me move onto their estate once I was released. So what did I do?”

 

 

She has no idea.

 

 

“I fucking ran away. There were these people willing to give me a roof, let me be part of their family. I didn’t know how to handle that and I ran away like a little bitch. Because I was scared.” His words are lower, forced through gritted teeth. “They tried to keep in touch. Don’t know why they bothered, I wouldn't have. Never understood why they stilled cared. I was drinking and fucking my way through all fifty-one states because I hated everything and everyone. Mostly I hated myself.”

 

 

The story ends there, adbrutly. Which is unlike him because he’s a talker. Which she hates with a burning passion. Now it just feels strange. Awkward even.

 

 

“You still do it.”

 

 

He glances up at her, brows knit. “Still do what?”

 

 

“Fuck everything.”

 

 

Mac shrugs. “Booze and drugs are a limited supply. Lonely people? World’s full of them now.” She’s heard stories in passing. Mostly from him. She’s caught how he’ll look at people, or how they’ll look at him.

 

 

Clearly he must not want to entertain further questioning because he switches the subject up soon after. “Lighter, huh? Where did you get that?”

 

 

Off the guy. Where else? Beth shrugs. At least as much as her range of motion will allow her to. “He was pissed before you set his shirt on fire. What did you do?” If she could laugh, she would. He deserved it. Some part of her hopes the fire wasn’t put out right away. Hopes he got burnt. “I know he’s a fucking creep but...” Mac’s words fade off as he stands up.

 

 

“He said he could give me pain killers. To help with after.” After the fights. “When I went out with Luann. I had to stay with him while they checked the traps.”

 

 

Now, now Mac looks pissed. “I thought he meant for points so I took some. Swallowed them right away...then he started to undo his belt.” It’s strange how her voice sounds. So far off, like it’s not even her talking. If it had been for points, whenever they let her out of the closet she could earn them back. Meds were pricey but she could have done it.

 

 

“You didn’t-”

 

 

Of course she didn’t. “Pushed him away. He tried to grab me but the others came back.”

 

 

Mac stands back, hands on his hips. Realization dawns over his face. “Wait. I heard about that trip. Didn’t his tent almost burn down while he was sleeping?”

 

 

Yes. Yes, it did. Too bad he’d woken up.

 

 

The man lets out a low whistle. Suddenly he looks impressed. “That tent set him the fuck back in points.” Oh, had it? That’s good to know she guesses. “That’s why he wanted to get in there with you. Jesus. You could have said something.”

 

 

She could have. But who would have believed her? Listened to her. Besides, she’d gotten a few good licks in. He’d been dragged off bloodied up, and hopefully burnt. She hadn’t been so out of it that she hadn’t heard the panicked cries, or seen the flailing as the flames licked at his body. It was the least of what he deserved, as far as she was concerned.

 

 

He talks a bit more. Not about Jamie, or how he’ll have sex with anything that moves. Mostly about how that the guy was bad news and he’d always known, but he could skate by. She probably isn’t the first person he’d done that to. Try to trap them in a deal for pills.

 

 

She doesn’t know how much longer they stay there for. Mostly now she’s zoning out. All the adrenaline has faded, her last ounce of attention used up. “You’re as good as you’re gonna get.” Mac helps her off of the table and keeps a watchful eye on her as she shuffles towards the door. This next part is routine, too. The long walk back to the closet.

 

 

He feels bad about doing it. She can see it in his face. He doesn’t want to, for whatever reason he seems to like her. She doesn’t know why, most of what she does is snap and snarl when they’re in the same room together. Mac pulls open the door and steps to the side.

 

 

There’s her bucket. Multi-purpose, for use as a chair or toilet depending on the moment. It’s the only thing she’s allowed. He doesn’t give her the shirt back. That’ll be washed, given back to her the next time she goes out. “Bird?” He calls out to her as she steps into the dark space.” Beth turns to look him. “Remind me never to piss you off.”

 

 

It’s funny, she thinks. How he says that as he shuts the door. She sinks down onto the bucket and lets her head press against the wall. The first few times she’d panicked. There’s scratch marks on the door from her. She’d kicked and shouted. Now, there’s just nothing. She’s too tired to fight it anyways.

 

 

Instead she lets her mind wander as her eyes shuts. Replacing the darkness with those final moments of the fight. The panic in the faces of the crowd when those sparks came to life. The shirt had gone up faster than she’d expected. The corner of her mouth twitches upwards. As close to a smile as she can manage.

 

 

It’s the least of what he’d deserved. Quite frankly, as far as she was concerned it was worth it. What were they going to do? Keep her locked up for longer? If she knew how to laugh she would have.

 

 

She lets the tired ache that’s pulling at her take over her then. She’d learned some time ago that letting the darkness take you is easier than fighting it. At least this time, she goes with a smile on her face.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Yup. YUP. 
> 
>  
> 
> Yes so. 
> 
> 1) Mac likes guy. Mac likes girls. Mac likes everyone. Mac really doesn't care.  
> 2) Life is 100% crap for Beth. Believe it or not, she CHOSE to fight. The time in the 'ring' doubles as training. At that point in time she was still very much a loose canon and had difficulty adapting to the rules. Gavin's outpost has a 'lighter' version of the Sanctuary's cells. Essentially depending on your crime, you may spend an extensive amount of time locked up in a dark closet. I imagine the fights also doubled as a punishment as well as conditioning for Beth. She doesn't win them, at least not right away. She more or less gets her butt handed to her time after time as she's growing stronger and learning new strategies. That's why she is let out to fight. Because there's no reward in it for her. I think someone would also feel like they'redoing her a favor by 'allowing her to learn'  
> 3) Yes. Fire. The tent was a matter of convenience. She was wronged, and quite frankly Beth may have believed the nameless drug dealing creep was breaking a Savior rule (in a way, he was. In a way he also would have argued that he wasn't. If anything he was betting on her compliance/silence. Because look at her. She's a little slip of a thing. ) Killing him outright would have been too messy and she would have been easily caught. Dropping a match or a lit branch by the tent when everyone's passed out? No one knows what happened between her and the creep and bad shit happens in general. Why would anyone try to burn up a tent? Doesn't make sense.  
> 4) YES STILL FIRE. Beth's 'training' is an open invitational. Creep is angry, creep sees his chance to hurt Beth for 'stealing' his drugs and not fulfilling her part of a deal that she never actually agreed to because he wasn't upfront with the terms. Creep didn't empty his pockets. Clothing is flammable. Sucks to be the creep. 
> 
> As always, let me know what you guys think! I know, our baby arsonist/fire bug is way extra in this chapter (justified extra? I think ) but what is Savior!Beth if not extra?


End file.
